Tuesday, June 6, 2017

6-5-17 Following a tip from Twitter user @Sl0zhny, Bellingcat was able to find the "missing link" photograph that shows these white transport markings on Buk 332 from before the June 2014 convoy. A photograph taken by a Russian mechanic, likely in the spring of 2013, shows Buk 332 with the same white transport markings that were on the Buk while in Ukraine shortly before and after the downing of MH17. This photograph is the last discovered image of Buk 332, showing its non-obscured unit designation and transport markings, before the June 2014 convoy, when the middle digit of its unit designation was painted over.

The white digits, gravity mark, and transport marks in this photograph are in the same location as in photographs and videos of Buk 332 while it was in Russia in June 2014 and in Ukraine in July 2014.

This Buk missile launcher was identified as Buk 332 from the 53 rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade (military unit 32406) due to these common features. The mechanic's photograph was taken at a vehicle yard of this brigade, as we can determine with the help of another photograph from the same area, uploaded by a cadet in August 2014. https://en.censor.net.ua/photo_news/442770/missing_link_bellingcat_found_premh17_photo_of_buk_332_that_downed_dutch_boeing_photosSource: https://en.censor.net.ua/p442770